Bad Blood
by eliatan
Summary: The first few days had been pure chaos. Within twenty-four hours, most of Southern Texas had been overrun. Constantly on the move, Eren, Mikasa and Armin are forced to join up with other survivors. They quickly learn that the most dangerous predator is not what it seems. In this world, how can you keep both your humanity and your life? Modern AU. Zombie Apocalypse. Also on Ao3.
1. Prologue

"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as great and sudden change."

― **Mary Shelley  
**

11•8

**x**

"Mikasa?" Mikasa's mother called, her voice carrying from the laundry room. Mikasa placed a finger on the page of the novel she was reading, saving her place as she looked up.

"Yeah?" She responded, reaching for the remote to mute the television.

Mikasa's mom came around the corner, toting a basket of clean laundry on her hip. "Has Dr. Jaeger texted you yet?"

Mikasa shook her head and her mother frowned, using her free hand to tuck away some flyaway hair. "Alright. I'm going upstairs to check on your father. Make yourself some breakfast if you haven't already."

"Okay." Mikasa nodded.

"His fever is getting pretty high... I hope they get here soon," Her mom mumbled as she headed upstairs, taking the laundry with her.

Mikasa turned back to face the television. A reporter was standing outside of the local hospital, blonde hair whipping wildly in the wind as she spoke. She watched the woman's mouth move soundlessly for a few seconds before turning the television off and returning to her book, tucking her feet underneath her. Outside, there was a distant rumble of thunder.

She went through a few pages, but soon she found it harder and harder to focus, her eyes drifting over the same paragraph again and again. Eventually, Mikasa gave up, closing the book and setting it on the coffee table.

She wasn't sure why she was so out of it. Her father worked as a nurse, so it made sense that he'd picked up something on the job, most likely the recent bug that was going around. Besides, Dr. Jaeger was an old family friend and a gifted doctor. Mikasa had no doubt he'd be able to help... yet something still felt off to her.

Her phone, laid out to her left, buzzed with a few texts, and she picked it up.

Eren:

_Yo_  
_We'll be there in an hour_  
_My dad has to stop at Hannes house for a min_

Mikasa:

_What for?_

Eren:

_Idk. Buncha scientist stuff I don't understand_

Mikasa:

_Huh. Ok see you soon_

"Dork." Mikasa mumbled affectionately as she hit send and pocketed her phone. She had a perfect view of the backyard through the living room's wide windows. The clouds were heavy and gray, thickly covering the sky. The same wind she had seen attacking the reporter was viciously whipping the trees. _Definitely looks like rain_, she thought to herself. She usually loved rainy weather, yet today it only had her feeling apprehensive.

Annoyed with her sour mood, Mikasa stretched and stood, scruffing her face a little. _Maybe making some tea will calm me down_, she thought, padding to the kitchen and grabbing the empty teapot from its place near the stove. She hooked the handle on the sink's spout and turned the hot water on. Leaning back against the counter, she crossed her legs, humming to herself as she waited for the pot to fill.

Dr. Jaeger didn't usually take Eren with him when he went on house calls, but Mikasa assumed Eren had either begged to come or Dr. Jaeger had brought him along to keep her entertained, since they were good friends. Either way, she didn't mind.

The teapot began to overflow and Mikasa quickly shut the water off, carrying it to the electric stove and turning the dial up to high. She took her time going through the cabinet that held the tea. Eventually, she chose her favorite, jasmine, along with a small porcelain teacup. She and her mother would pick the jasmine flowers from their garden and dry it themselves.

Mikasa was turning around to set the cup by the stove when there was a loud, sudden scream from upstairs. Startled, she lost her grip on the cup and it fell to the ground, the porcelain shattering on the tile and sending shards spinning across the floor. There was more screaming from upstairs, this time louder and more panicked.

"Mom?" Mikasa shouted as she wheeled around, running towards the stairs.

The screaming continued as Mikasa ran up the stairs, then it abruptly stopped. "Mom!" Mikasa yelled again, her heart pounding.

There was no reply.

**x**

Eren counted to three before throwing open the car door and racing out into the downpour, slamming the door shut behind him. Cursing quietly, he splashed through a puddle, water seeping into his socks. Taking a final giant leap, he landed on the Ackerman's porch.

"Hurry up!" he yelled to his father, who was still by the car, gathering his things.

Grisha slammed the trunk closed and rushed over to where Eren was standing on the porch, splashing straight through the same puddle. "Damn." He muttered.

Eren managed to chuckle at his father, even though he was still pissed about his wet socks. "You got everything, old man?"

His father rolled his eyes and began going through his bag. "I don't think I'll take too long, but you may want to talk with Mikasa in the mean time." He paused and flipped back through his bag, looking disgruntled. "Forgot my phone in the car. Wait here, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Eren grunted. His phone was already opened and his attention fixed on one of his violent games. Grisha sighed and braced himself before running back out into the rain, covering his head with his bag while he made his way to the car, which was parked on the other side of the street.

Moments later, the wind shifted and heavy raindrops started blowing in Eren's direction. Shivering, he flattened himself against the front of the house, but there was still no protection from the rain. _What kind of shitty porch is this anyways? _He pocketed his phone and knocked on the front door. After waiting a moment and receiving no response, he jammed the doorbell a few times.

"Damn, I'm getting soaked," he mumbled. Still there was no activity from inside the house. _Maybe they couldn't hear the doorbell from upstairs? _Eren thought, glancing back at his father, who was still shuffling around inside the car.

Eren reached for the door knob and was surprised to find the door unlocked. _They probably unlocked it themselves, since they were expecting us_, he thought, letting himself inside. He took off his soaked sneakers in an attempt to be respectful, and set them on the rack next to a pair of rainboots. Stepping forward, he glanced around the living room. It was empty.

"Hello?" Eren called, taking another step forward. "Mikasa? Mrs. Ackerman?" There was no reply.

He paused and frowned, realizing there was a quiet whistling sound coming from the kitchen. His heartbeat immediately quickened as his imagination flickered to a few terrifying images. _Shit... Why did I let Armin convince me to watch horror movies with him last night? _He thought, feeling his body begin to pump with adrenaline as he moved towards the sound.

An abandoned teapot was boiling on the stove, steam rushing from the spout. Taking a few more steps, Eren noticed the shattered glass on the floor and carefully avoided it. He stretched to turn the stove off and called out again, this time shouting, "Anyone?"

Silence.

Both of the Ackerman's cars were still in the driveway and Mikasa hadn't replied to any of Eren's texts or calls since earlier that morning. Even his calls to the house phone had gone unanswered. Eren had figured she was just busy, but this was worrying. Spotting the drying rack next to the sink, he hurried towards it and grabbed the biggest knife he could find. He didn't know what was going on, but he figured it didn't hurt to be safe.

Quickly, he pulled out his phone.

Eren:

_Where r u?_  
_I think somethings wrong_  
_I'm going to check it out_

He waited a minute or two, but there was no reply. _Damn senior citizen still can't find his phone,_ he thought angrily. Frustrated, he gripped the knife tight and creeped towards the stairs, craning his head to see if there was something at the top. He slowly climbed them, keeping the knife poised in front of him. Pressing himself up against the wall, he peered down the hallway leading from the stairs. _Just like in the action movies _he told himself.

The door straight ahead was slightly ajar. _That's Mikasa's parents' room_, Eren thought_._ He hid the knife behind him, just so he wouldn't scare the Ackermans too badly if they were inside. Eren approached the door warily and nudged it open with his foot.

The only light came from the partially drawn curtains, which illuminated the room in a column that stretched across the floor. Eren stared at the figures on the floor for several moments before he fully registered what they were. "Shit..." Eren exhaled, surprised by how calm he felt.

Mikasa sat, crumpled and kneeling, beside her bloodied father. Dark red was seeping from his cracked skull and onto the white carpet. A metal lamp lay on the ground nearby, the bottom dented and spattered with blood. Eren pressed his hand to his face, as if that could somehow confirm that this was real. Taking a deep breath, he carefully stepped closer and crouched beside his friend.

Mikasa's eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the rain hitting and running down the window. The usual light in her eyes was gone, leaving behind a cold and empty stare. She didn't seem to register his presence, which made Eren frown. He hesitantly reached for her arm, his fingers brushing against her skin.

"Mikasa? Are you okay? What happened?" Eren's voice slowly rose from a choked whisper. Mikasa didn't respond. Carefully, he set down the knife, gripping her arm tighter and shaking her slightly. "Mikasa?"

Eren checked for any wounds, but besides the blood splattered on her face and clothes, Mikasa seemed fine. Her father, though… Eren clenched his fists and looked away. The scene was disgusting. _Did she kill her parents? No, Mikasa couldn't… What the fuck happened? Where's Mikasa's mom?_

There was a slight groan from behind the bed and Eren saw an arm grab helplessly at the carpet. He clutched at his chest, his heart pounding wildly. _Stay calm. _Eren steadied himself before rushing forward to help.

"Mrs. Ackerman...?" Eren stopped short, his eyes widening.

It looked like Mikasa's mother had been torn apart by an animal. The skin near her shoulder was completely shredded, and the gaping hole in her throat was still dripping blood. There was no way anyone could survive those injuries, but there she was, her milky irises gazing ahead with a stare as blank as Mikasa's.

"Ugghhr..." Mikasa's mom groaned, dragging herself upwards and stumbling onto her feet.

"Holy shit," Eren whispered as she turned towards him, clumps of torn-out hair dangling from her scalp. "Holy _fucking_-"

Mrs. Ackerman lunged and Eren barely managed to scramble back. She continued to advance, arms swinging as she tried to latch onto Eren. The discarded lamp caught on the back on his foot and sent him sprawling. With a yell, he threw his arms up in front of his face in a final effort to protect himself.

Mikasa's mother lunged again, snarling, and ended up directly on top of the prone Eren.

"Mikasa!" Eren wheezed, desperately struggling to keep Mikasa's mothers' snapping jaws away from him. "Do something!"

He heard a slight gasp from behind him and he twisted his head to try and get a better look at Mikasa. He could see her still kneeling on the ground, the knife abandoned beside her. "Help me! Get the knife!" Eren could feel her mother's humid breath and a string of drool that was dripping from her open mouth onto his face.

There was a scraping noise from behind Eren and he saw the knife lift off the ground as Mikasa got to her feet.

"I-I know it's your mom," Eren yelled as the corpse pushed closer to his face. "But you have to do it! You have to fight! If you don't… _ugh_! You can't win! Mikasa! Fight!" The words came out strained and rushed, and Eren briefly wondered how he had managed to think up such motivational words.

Eren felt his arms begin to give out as Mikasa's mother continued to bear down on him, teeth now just inches from his face. "Fight! _Fight!_" he screamed. "Mikasa!"

There was a dull thump, and the pressure was suddenly gone. Mikasa had shoved her mother aside. Eren let out a gasp and sat up immediately, looking over at where her mother's body had landed.

Mikasa stood over her mother, pinning her to the ground with one hand. Face blank, she stared down at her mother, who was struggling under her grip. "_This _is _not _my mom." Mikasa ground out, grimacing as she brought the knife down into her mother's chest, again and again, until her mother's blouse was completely soaked through with blood.

When Mikasa finally stopped, she was panting heavily, with her eyes glazed and hands trembling around the knife. Yet despite the assault, her mother was still struggling. _Why is this happening?_ Mikasa thought, her whole body trembling. _Mom… Why?_

Her mother snapped her jaws again, hurling spit and specs of blood onto her face. Mikasa grabbed her mother's bloody neck and forced her back down, desperately trying to keep her teeth away. Eren's eyes darted around the room, looking for something to aid Mikasa with.

"Get back!" Eren yelled, turning to face Mikasa. "It's no use!"

Mikasa pulled away, scrambling onto her feet. Her mother grumbled and shifted her weight forward, crawling onto her knees. Mikasa gripped the knife, watching her bloodied mother rise. To her right, Eren was pulling on a corner of the desk.

"Mikasa! Move!" Eren yelled, breaking her out of her trance. She stumbled back as her mother lunged forward. "Here... I can't get it myself."

She ran to his side, letting the knife fall to the ground. Together, they pushed the desk forward. It slammed into Mikasa's mother and pinned her against the wall. Mikasa trembled, looking to see if her mother was in pain, but she was completely unphased, still growling hoarsely and struggling to get free.

"Let's get out of here…" Eren whispered, backing up towards the door and giving Mikasa's mother an anxious glance.

The moment Mikasa took her weight off the table, the desk started to slide away from the wall. Mikasa's eyes darted to where the knife was, and she stooped to grab it. Turning it in her hands for a second, she took a deep breath and faced her mother.

Mikasa stepped forward and plunged the knife into her mother's forehead with a sickening squelch. Her mother stilled instantly, arms falling limp as her groans were silenced. Carefully, she set the blade on the desk. There was a moment of silence. Only Eren and Mikasa's uneven breathing could be heard.

"I…" Mikasa began, then fell silent. Eren stepped forward to where Mikasa stood, at a loss for words. Their eyes followed the trail of blood all the way back to Mikasa's father. Rain continued to patter innocently on the window.

"Eren?" A familiar voice called from downstairs, the sound muffled by the distance. "Mikasa?"

The two made eye contact and Eren smiled shakily. "Let's go wash up, yeah?" He turned towards the door, taking Mikasa's hand and tugging gently. "Come on."

**x**

"What were you thinking?!" Eren's father yelled, face red.

"I was getting rained on! Did you want me to just stand there and get soaked?" Eren yelled back just as loud. They were standing out on the Ackerman's lawn, surrounded by police and paramedics. The rain had stopped, but the dark and gloomy sky seemed like it could open up again at any moment, and there were still faint rumbles of thunder in the distance.

His father paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. "It was still reckless. What if you had been hurt?"

"What if Mikasa had been hurt? Is that any better." Eren balled up his fists. "I'm fine. We're both fine."

Grisha pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply. "No. I'm... I was worried about you, Eren. Believe it or not, I'm actually concerned for your safety."

"I tried to wait after I texted you, but…" Eren swallowed and let his voice drop to a normal tone. "...you left your phone at Hannes'. If I hadn't gone upstairs… I would've been standing there for ages. Who knows what would've happened.

"I'm- I'm just glad the two of you are safe. We can talk about what happened some more later."

There was a brief moment of silence. "...What's going to happen now?" Eren asked, stealing a glance back at Mikasa, who was being questioned by the police on her porch. An EMT had wrapped a blanket around her, after checking to make sure she was okay.

They'd already questioned Eren, which had been bearable, but the small crowd of neighbors trying to snoop made him want to punch something. He was just glad the news hadn't shown up.

His father let out a heavy sigh. "I'm not quite sure. From what you said, it sounded like you two were only acting in self defense, but… I guess we'll find out soon."

Eren had to physically bite his tongue so he wouldn't snap at his father. _It wasn't our fault. We just did what we needed to do. _He let his bitter thoughts lose in his head.

Eren glanced up to see the two police officers who had been questioning Mikasa approaching.

"Both stories match up," the first officer said to Dr. Jaeger, with a heavy sigh. "It's crazy how people can just... lose it like that," The officer shook his head briskly and lowered his voice, "And that two_ kids _had to go through that_..._"

The second, a much angrier and uglier looking officer, uncrossed his arms and let his face fold into an expression of sympathy. "Things are a little hectic right now with the squad and CPS. Does the girl have any relatives who live nearby who'd be willing to take her in? At least, until things are more stable."

"No. Her parents were her only living relatives." The words were sour coming from Grisha's mouth.

Eren's eyebrows pulled together and he gave Mikasa another glance. Her eyes seemed unfocused as her pale fingers clutched at the thin blanket around her shoulders.

"Real shame," The first officer looked behind him at the Ackerman's porch again and sighed. "Look, we wouldn't normally bypass the system like this, but the situation is... tough. I understand you were close with the Ackermans…?"

Dr. Jaeger nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "We'd be willing to take her in."

The officer immediately looked relieved and his partner also visibly lightened. "Thank you. You're a good man, Dr. Jaeger."

Grisha accepted the compliment with a nod and put a hand on Eren's shoulder. "If you'll excuse us..."

"Yes, of course." The officers took a step back and Eren's father headed towards the porch.

"Thank God." Eren overheard the first officer mutter to his partner as they passed. "We don't have the time to drive that girl around with all these calls coming in."

_Bastards. _Eren thought, clutching at the fabric hidden in his pocket. He hurried to catch up to his father, missing the first few words between him and Mikasa.

"Dr. Jaeger… what do I do?" She asked, looking up. "I don't have anywhere to go."

"I've already made arrangements with the officers. You'll be coming home with Eren and I." Grisha said gently.

"...Home?" Mikasa asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yes, home." Dr. Jaeger smiled. "Do you want to get some of your things from inside before we leave? Karla is probably worried sick about us."

Mikasa briskly shook her head and Dr. Jaeger nodded, rubbing at the stubble on his chin slightly. "It's okay. We can go shopping and get you some things. Let's just go home." Grisha smiled softly when she nodded in response, although his smile was sad.

"Wait, Mikasa," Eren took a step forward and reached into his jacket pocket. "I have something for you."

Mikasa's eyes followed Eren as he held out a deep red strip of fabric. He took Mikasa's hand and wrapped the material around her wrist a few times before fastening it gently with a small knot. Their eyes met and Eren's cheeks flushed slightly.

"It's some of the fabric your mom was using for her quilt. I thought you'd want it, so you could have something to remember her by." Eren shrugged and pulled away slightly. "Let's go."

Mikasa looked down at her wrist, then buried her face in the crimson fabric, letting out a choked sob. It still smelled like her mother's perfume. With tears rolling down her face, Mikasa ducked her head and followed her friend towards the car.

Moments later, the sky resumed its downpour.


	2. Home

"The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly."

― **F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby**

**11•11**** - Day 1**

**x**

"Breakfast is ready." Mikasa muttered, nudging the top of the couch.

"Okay." Eren set his comic book down, sliding off the couch and following Mikasa back to the kitchen. There were two plates of scrambled eggs and toast set out on the table. Eren's mom was talking on the phone quietly in the corner. Noticing Eren and Mikasa, she stepped out of the room, giving them a small smile. The two sat and began eating.

Eren gave Mikasa a cursory glance. She had been different since the day her parents died, almost like something in her eyes had dimmed. Eren frowned and stabbed his fried egg, watching the yellow goop ooze onto the plate. _I wish her parents were still alive, _he thought_. Maybe then she wouldn't be like this. _

There was the footsteps from the living room and Hannes appeared in his police uniform, heading straight for the coffee maker. Eren forked a spoonful of eggs into his mouth as he watched Hannes pour coffee into his favorite mug.

He looked around. "Hey, you kids happen to see my-"

"Your boots are by the backdoor." Mikasa answered before he could finish, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Hannes smiled at her graciously, walking to the back door and grabbing his boots with one hand. He set his sheriff's hat on the table and put his boots on on as he took another sip of coffee and adjusted his holster. Eren turned in his chair, watching Hannes shuffle around.

"Isn't it a little early to be going in?" Eren frowned.

Hannes came back into the kitchen and set his empty mug in the sink, leaning against the counter for a moment. "The force has been a little...taxed recently. But it's nothing you should worry about." He shook his head, giving Eren a thin smile.

"Why did we have to come stay here with you while my Dad went out of town then? What's going on?" Eren set his fork down, giving Hannes a stare. He hated when adults tried to keep information away from him because of his age. "Whatever it is, we have a right to know."

Hannes just shook his head, walking over to Eren and clapping him on the shoulder. "Are you gonna finish that?"

"Wh- no?" Eren's eyes widened as Hannes snatched up his cold slice of toast and took a huge bite.

Hannes turned away and shoved the rest into his mouth, quickly sliding his arms into his brown leather jacket and waving towards Mikasa and Eren. "See ya!" He called putting on his hat and shutting the front door behind him.

Eren and Mikasa's eyes met. "What the hell…" Eren grumbled, looking down at his empty plate. Mikasa just shrugged.

Eren stood and took their plates to the sink, quickly chugging the rest of his milk. "Let's go see Armin. Since school was canceled."

"Maybe you should put some clothes on first." Mikasa rose her eyebrows lightly.

Eren glanced down at his teenage mutant ninja turtle boxers and frowned. "Right… yeah."

Karla slid open the door on the far side of the kitchen again, setting the house phone back into its charger. She smiled when she saw Mikasa and Eren. "How was the food?" She asked, although she seemed too preoccupied to listen to the reply.

"It was good." Eren said, giving his mom an irritated glace. "We're gonna go over to Armin's. Is that okay?"

Karla hesitated. "Why don't you have Armin come over here? Then I can watch you three and we can give Armin's grandfather a break."

"Good idea." Eren pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Armin. He received a reply almost immediately.

Eren:

_Yo u wanna come over to Hannes and hang with me n Mikasa?_

Armin:

_Grandpa says yes, but someone has to walk me to your house._

Eren:

_Ok. We'll come get u. See you in 5_

Armin:

_How's Mikasa by the way? I can't believe any of that happened. It's so horrible._

Eren paused and looked at his friend. Mikasa already had her boots and coat on. He noticed the slip of red fabric peeking out from her sleeve. She'd taken to wrapping her mother's ribbon around her wrist. She had her arms crossed and her eyes transfixed on the overcast sky.

Eren:

_She's different  
__Quieter...  
__I guess_

Armin:

_Maybe we can manage to get it off her mind._

Eren:

_Ya. Good idea  
__See you soon_

Armin:

_K_

"He can come over, but his grandpa said we have to go pick him up." Eren informed his mother, putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Would you like a ride?" Karla asked with a small frown, taking an elastic from her wrist and wrapping her hair up into a messy bun.

"Nah. I want to walk." Eren looked back at Mikasa again, but she made no comment. Really, Eren just wanted an opportunity to talk to Mikasa about what his parents were hiding from them.

Eren started towards the guest room, where he and his mom were temporarily sleeping. "I'll go get changed." Eren called to Mikasa as she nodded, sitting back on the arm of the couch.

"You two be careful, okay?" Eren's mother called after him.

"Yeah mom! Got it."

**x**

Eren couldn't resist balancing along the curb as they walked. Mikasa walked beside him on the street, shivering slightly as a cool wind blew. The sky was still the same overcast, dreary sight.

Hannes lived in one of the neighborhoods closer to the edge of town, only a few blocks over from Armin and his grandfather. Many of the lots in the area were newly constructed or empty. It was a little out of the way, but Armin always said he liked the rural feeling of the area. His parents were currently out of the country doing missionary work, like they always were, so it was just Armin and his grandfather.

"I swear my parents are hiding something…" Eren muttered, breaking the silence as he stepped off the curb and turned towards Mikasa. Eren half-expected a snarky remark or an eyeroll, but Mikasa just nodded slightly.

"I think," She began, keeping up her pace as her eyes fell to the pavement. "I think it has to do with what happened to my parents."

"...What do you mean?" Eren asked warily, moving to catch up and falling in step beside her.

"You saw my mom." Mikasa's eyes closed momentarily and Eren's chest tightened. He regretted bringing the memories up. "She wasn't herself. She was rabid, like an animal."

"Yeah... It was like something out of a horror movie." Eren pulled his sleeves down a little and they walked in silence until they reached the intersection to Armin's street. "Armin will be happy to see us. Unless he's still studying for that dumb history quiz. For all we know, school could be canceled all week. Remember that time the new kid got swine flu and everyone freaked out and we had the next few days off?"

Mikasa nodded and they moved to cross the street. "I think… this is different."

Eren gave her a skeptical look. "My mom says the media always blows these things out of proportion."

Mikasa shrugged and shivered again, adjusting her sweater. "It feels like it's getting colder."

"Yeah. Another cold front. I saw it on the weather channel last night."

"You watch the weather channel?" Mikasa asked, her nose crinkling.

Eren looked away, embarrassed. "Shut up."

Armin's house was just up ahead. It was a smaller house, but he and his grandfather were always working on the garden during the weekends, planting radiant local flowers and produce. Seeing the garden as they walked up to the front porch had Mikasa thinking back to earlier summers.

She had fond memories of Eren picking ripened tomatoes and violently biting into them, pretending the dripping, red juice was blood. His eccentric expressions had always made Armin and Mikasa laugh uncontrollably. Now, she couldn't even bring herself to smile at the memory.

Eren walked up to the front porch and banged on the door a few times, Mikasa right behind him. He waited, rocking back on his feet impatiently, hands shoved in his pockets. A few moments later, Armin opened the door and stepped out. His eyes immediately met Mikasa's before quickly looking away. He smiled awkwardly and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"Hey guys."

"Armin, let's go! I'm hungry." Eren exclaimed, patting his shorter blonde friend on the head.

"We just ate." Mikasa muttered, scowling slightly.

"Yeah, but Hannes ate my toast." Eren smiled innocently at her.

"We can get some food from inside real quick." Armin suggested, turning back towards the door. "Here, I'll grab some snacks while you guys wait inside. It's kind of cold."

Armin unlocked the front door and slipped his sneakers off onto the mat, peering into the living room. "Grandpa?" He called, cupping his mouth with one hand. "We're grabbing some food real quick!"

There was no response. Armin waited another few seconds before shrugging. "He must be upstairs. Here, y'all can go watch T.V. or something. I'll make some sandwiches and we can eat them at the park." Armin eagerly ushered his friends forward before scampering to the kitchen.

As soon as he was out of sight, Eren whispered, "Isn't it a little cold for the park?" Mikasa only shrugged at him, taking off her shoes and setting them next to Armin's. "Either way, he's awfully chatty." Eren said, sneakers thudding on the hardwood floor as he moved past Mikasa.

"I think he feels awkward." Mikasa said, her grey eyes rising to meet Eren's.

Eren paused and then nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right."

Together, they shuffled towards the living room, where faint voices could be heard. The T.V. was already on, set to the news. There was a young man standing outside of a large, corporate-looking building. "...Only three weeks ago the board of directors had been speaking of expanding outside of the United States, which makes the sudden liquidation of the company's stocks even more surprising…"

Eren rolled his eyes and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. "So lame. Why do people watch this boring stuff anyway?" Eren quickly amended himself. "Well, I guess Armin's sort of into it-"

"Wait." Mikasa interjected. He glanced up, eyebrows raised and noticed she had her eyes on the screen. "Turn it up."

Eren jabbed the volume button a few times and the young reporter's voice was suddenly completely audible.

"...Both Darius Zackly, the founder of the corporation, and Erwin Smith, the CEO, refuse to comment…"

Armin came scampering in from the kitchen, holding a butter knife in one hand and a slice of bread in the other. His socks slid slightly on the polished wood floors. His eyes flickered eagerly to the images of the two men standing side by side. Personally, Eren thought they just looked boring and old, with their business suits and scowls, but Armin was completely enraptured.

"...There is speculation abroad about the recent explosion at the facilities in southern Texas, and how these financially catastrophic events will effect such an influential company..." The reporter continued.

"You wrote a paper on him, right?" Mikasa asked, her voice making Armin jump slightly.

"Uh, it was more of an informal rant…" Armin blushed and looked down awkwardly at the items in his hands.

"Did you just run in here as soon as you heard Erwain's name?" Eren's face twisted a little.

"It's Erwin." Armin corrected, his eyebrows pulling together.

"Oh, excuse me." Eren snorted. Mikasa narrowed her eyes and Eren sighed, turning to Armin. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Armin assured his friend, looking away from the television. "The story is over anyway. I'll finish these up really quick and then we can go." Armin half-smiled and quickly retreated to the kitchen.

**x**

"Told you." Eren muttered, plopping down on the tire swing and wincing. "Too damn cold. I hate this weather." Mikasa kicked the tire, making Eren almost lose his balance, before going and grabbing onto the monkey bars. Eren stuck out his tongue in response.

"If Armin wants to go to the park, we can bear the cold for a few minutes." She said as she hopped from bar to bar easily, hoisting herself up to the top, then perching and dangling her legs. Mikasa had been a gymnast up until she started high school. Eren would never admit it aloud, but he was a little envious of her athletic ability.

Mikasa's eyes followed something behind Eren and he turned to see Armin walking up from across the park.

"Still hungry?" Armin asked, sitting beside Eren on the tire swing, making the rubber seat sway.

"Yeah. Thanks man." Eren grunted as Armin quickly retrieved a wrapped sandwich from his pull-string bag and placed it in Eren's outstretched hand.

Armin smiled warmly and Eren grinned in response, wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulders. Armin leaned into Eren and found his eyes wandering up towards Mikasa. This was the first time he had seen her since her parent's death. _She looks so numb,_ Armin thought sadly. _She hasn't bopped my nose, or tried to tie my sleeves together, or faked punching me… Eren was right. She's different. _

"Mikasa," Armin blurted, gaining both his friend's attention. He was unsure of how to continue, but he felt his resolve harden. "Sometime soon, you should go see a counselor, or a therapist or something. You don't have to act like everything is okay, at least, not around us."

Armin saw Eren's eyes spark and he passionately added on. "Yeah! And if anyone even thinks about mentioning it at school I'll punch their freaking face in, okay?"

"We'll support you however we can." Armin quickly added.

Mikasa rubbed her rosy nose with the back of her hand and gave the boys the faintest smile, her eyes glossy with emotion. She took a deep breath and watched as Eren unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite, while Armin rocked the tire swing a little. _Thank you._ She thought, feeling too drained to speak the words aloud. _And thank you for treating me normally. I don't know what I'd do without you two._

Armin met her eyes and smiled, almost like he could feel her gratitude. Eren was too busy making love to his sandwich.

"Wait," Mikasa began, suddenly thinking back to breakfast. "Eren. Did you tell your mom we went to the park?"

Eren shook his head, mouth still full. She felt for her phone, which was tucked safely in her pocket, and pulled it out. No messages. Mikasa took a deep breath and let her shoulders relax. _Everything is fine. Mrs. Jaeger will call if she gets worried. Everything is fine._

There was a loud rumbling from above and the three looked up curiously. A fleet of military helicopters flew right above them in tight formation, headed towards downtown. There were a few seconds of deafening noise and then the helicopters were out of sight. Mikasa grabbed the monkey bars and swung to the ground, tucking back her wind-blown hair. Eren's mouth was open slightly and Armin looked perplexed.

Armin looked between Eren and Mikasa. "That was-"

"Fuckin' awesome!" Eren exclaimed, taking another huge bite of his sandwich and standing, causing Armin to almost lose his balance.

"Weird." Mikasa finished, ignoring Eren's outburst. Armin nodded and then shrugged.

Eren swallowed the lump of food in his mouth. "Maybe there's a parade or something."

Armin rolled his eyes. "The military at a parade? ...Right. No, they're probably coming to put us in quarantine." Mikasa gave Armin an alarmed look.

"Like in the Simpson's movie?" Eren asked, a small smile crossing his face at the image.

"Yeah. Just like that."

There was a scream of noise from Eren's pocket, which began vibrating wildly. Armin and Mikasa gave him bemused looks as he fumbled, trying to get his phone free.

_Undead! Undead! / Undead! Undead! _

"Really?" Mikasa rolled her eyes. Eren's face flushed slightly and he scowled.

_Undead! You better get up out the way / Tomorrow we'll rise so let's fight today / You know, I don't give a fuck-_

The song ended abruptly as Eren picked up. "It's Hannes." Eren said as he brought it to his ear."Hello?"

"Eren! There you are! Listen, I need you to stay calm. You, Mikasa and your mom need to get out of town as soon as possible. Just take forty-four west and follow the route until you reach the evacuation center. Can you remember that? Eren?" Hannes' voice was strained and there was the faint crackle of the police radio in the background.

"Wait, what are you talking about? And we're not with mom."

"Something… something is happening to people, Eren. I don't know exactly what. We were all hit by surprise and- wait, where are you? Didn't your mother tell you to stay home?" Hannes voice took on a sudden panicked edge and Eren felt his heart start to pound uncomfortably.

"What is it?" Armin asked, eyebrows pulling together. "What's wrong?"

"Shit, uh kinda. We went to the park with Armin."

"Damn it! Karla hasn't been answering her phone. That's why I called you." There was a pause. Eren could almost hear Hannes gripping his temples in frustration. "Okay, listen. Stay there at the park. I'm coming to pick you three up and whatever you do, stay away from strangers and anyone acting suspiciously. You hear? Eren!"

"No way!" Eren tensed up and his voice became shrill. "We're going to go find her!" He hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

"Eren?" Mikasa asked, taking a few steps forward.

His eyes were wild.. "We- we have to go home. Mom might be in trouble! Hannes said people are attacking each other… and… and the whole town is evacuating."

Mikasa's eyes widened. "What?"

"Wait, Eren, what are we supposed to do?" Armin asked, trying to stop his hands from trembling. Eren's panic was infectious.

Eren turned away, his fists clenching at his sides. "You guys can stay here and wait for Hannes. I have to make sure my mom is okay…!" Without another word, he spun around and began sprinting back towards his house.

"Eren!" Mikasa shouted. He didn't respond. She ground her teeth, turning to Armin. "Go home. Make sure your grandfather is okay." Armin nodded shakily, but Mikasa had already turned and began chasing after Eren.

Armin watched his friends leave as a series of sudden gunshots cracked in the distance. Armin jumped, swallowing hard as chills ran through him. The shots sounded far away, but Armin still felt nauseous. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed his bag and turned, shoes pounding on the pavement as he ran home.

**x**

Eren barely paused when he finally reached Hannes' house, charging forward as soon as he saw that the door had been left ajar. "Mom!" Eren yelled, racing across the front lawn and into the entryway. "Mom!"

From down the hallway, he could hear choked sobs, as well as a grotesque ripping noise. _Shit._ He quickly stooped to reach the panel beside the coat rack and carefully jiggled it open. Inside was a box of bullets and Hannes' automatic revolver. _Fuck. I hope I can remember those shooting lessons._ Eren thought, as images of Mikasa's rabid mother flashed through his head. Moments later, Mikasa came running in behind him. She stopped short when she saw Eren loading the the gun in his hands, but made no comment.

There was a loud cry of pain and Eren stopped halfway through, closing the cylinder of the gun and racing into the living room. Mikasa followed close behind. Panic shot through him when he noticed the smears of blood on the back of the couch. "Mom!" he yelled, moving towards the kitchen.

Eren stopped suddenly and Mikasa bumped into him with a small gasp. "What-" Mikasa began, stopping short when she peeked over Eren's shoulder

Karla Jaeger was pinned to the ground by a woman who was practically spitting drool. She was holding the woman back with shaky arms as another man was hunched over her lower half, tearing at the flesh of her feebly kicking left leg with his teeth. Another body was strewn on its side a few feet away, sharpening steel jutting from their skull. Tears were streaming down Eren's mother's face.

"Eren! Mikasa!" She screamed when she noticed them. Spittle was dripping down her face from the woman trying to grab her throat. "S-stay back!"

"No!" Eren shouted in disbelief, raising the revolver. "No!"

Mikasa quickly snatched it away, hissing, "You might hit her!"

Eren growled in anger and grabbed the nearest object from the counter, which happened to be a cutting board. He swung forward, feeling it connect with the woman's face. There was a sickening crunch, and the momentum carried the wooden board to the ground with a clatter. "Fucking bitch!" Eren screamed.

Eren's mother cried out in pain as the man tore off another strip of flesh. Eren grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and yanked desperately, angry tears streaming down his face. The man slid back easily on the blood soaked tile. He thrashed a little and then reached back for Eren. Eren jumped away and reached for something to defend himself with.

He grabbed one of the plates from the drying rack and smashed it down on top of the man's head. The man gurgled and bloody saliva spilled down his chin, but he seemed unaffected by the glass shards and cuts on his scalp. "What… the… fuck." Eren panted, reaching for another plate.

"Move!" Mikasa shouted. Eren barely had time to dodge as the woman lunged towards him, blood dripping from the gash on the side of her face.

"Just leave me! Get out of here, quick!" Karla screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Damn it, Eren, listen!"

Eren backed into the corner by the kitchen table as quickly as he could and shouted for Mikasa. "Shoot it! Fucking shootthem!"

Mikasa brought the gun up, taking aim at the woman who was up and stumbling towards Eren. She pulled the trigger and there was a deafening crack, followed by the gun jerking back painfully. The bullet lodged into the plaster of the far wall, a few inches away from the target.

"Fuck! Mikasa! Again!" Eren yelled, grabbing one of the kitchen table chairs and swinging it at the woman. It hit her chest bluntly and she fell onto her rear. Eren quickly backed away and Mikasa fired again. Her ears ached, but her hands were steady. There was a splatter of red across the linoleum tile, and the woman fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Eren and Mikasa's eyes met briefly, then Mikasa was crossing the room to where the man was slowly crawling towards them. She pinned the man down with her shoe and pressed the barrel of the revolver to the man's head. She pulled the trigger, looking away from the instantaneous mess.

There was silence except for Karla's quiet, broken sobs. "No, no, no," She gasped, her eyes wide over the scene before her. Mikasa averted her eyes and hid the gun beneath her sweater.

"Mom." Eren's voice cracked as he ran to her side and dropped to his knees, ignoring the blood and spittle. "Mom..."

Blood was pumping from a deep bite on Karla's shoulder and Eren numbly fumbled his hands over the wound, pushing down like in the movies. His mother winced and he let out a shaky sob. "What do I do? Mom? ...What do I do?"

Tears soaked her cheeks as she raised a shaky hand, stroking Eren's face. "You have to get out of here. Find- find Hannes. You'll be safe with him. He'll know what to do." She sniffled, "I love you. I love you both."

Mikasa nodded, still hovering behind Eren, tears falling and soaking into the front of her shirt.

"No! We can… I…" Eren's face contorted and he grabbed onto his mom's torn clothing. "Mom... I'm sorry I got into all those fights. I'm sorry I always complained about the dishes and…" Eren's voice broke and he started to wail. "I'm sorry I was such an ass!"

"Shh…" Eren's mother whispered, letting her head rest on the tile again. "Both of you, promise you'll take care of eachother." They both nodded and she took a shaky breath. "...Good… that's good…" She paused and Eren froze.

He nudged her slightly, panic surging through him. "Mom? Mom!" He shoved her harder. There was no response.

Mikasa waited a few seconds and then stepped forward, gently touching Eren's shoulder. "We have to go."

"Fuck you! I'm not leaving her!" He yelled, slapping her arm away and reaching for his mother's hand. Tears and snot were streaking down his face as he sobbed against his mother's limp body.

Mikasa's bottom lip trembled and she grabbed Eren, jerking him up. "We have to go!"

He struggled, but eventually Mikasa managed to drag him into the living room. Looking over the bloody scene before him, he fell silent, a whimper escaping him.

"...I'm so sorry, mom." He whispered, eyes shut, fists clenched.

"Eren…" Mikasa said, looking anxiously towards the front door. He nodded, letting Mikasa lead him towards the door, which was still open. Mikasa peeked out and frowned.

There was another person moving towards the house. They had the strange gait that the others seemed to have - like something didn't quite make it from their brain to their legs.

"Backdoor." Mikasa muttered, spinning quickly, still leading Eren by the sleeve. Mikasa pushed aside the blinds on the large glass double doors and looked out. The backyard was clear, but through the chain-link fence she could see three more people shuffling in the empty lot behind the house. A car was haphazardly parked across the street with its alarms blaring. The three seemed to be making their way towards it.

Before she could unlock the doors, there was a loud gunshot from the front yard. _Hannes?_ Mikasa wondered as she spun back around.

Eren was looking at his mother again. Mikasa gripped his shoulder tightly, keeping her eyes off the floor, instead focusing on where the bullet still lodged in the plaster. "Say your goodbyes now. You won't see her again." She tried to say the words kindly, but they came out cold.

The front door slammed shut and Hannes appeared at the end of the front hall, blood splattered down the front of his police uniform and an empty duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Immediately, he spotted them and rushed to their side. "Thank God! Are you two alright? Where's your mother?" He said.

Noticing their expressions, he turned towards the kitchen. "Oh," he exhaled, taking a heavy step back and fumbling for the back of the couch. He managed to steady himself and quickly averted his eyes.

"Eren…" Hannes said, eyes beginning to water, "Eren, God, this is all my fault. It's all my fault..."

Eren turned, his expression pained. "Shut up. Let's just leave."

Hannes' eyes widened in surprise and he looked to Mikasa in desperation. She was still staring just above Eren's mother at the kitchen wall. _These are not my kids._ he thought bitterly. _They're too young for eyes like that._

Hannes swallowed hard and straightened up, shoving down his shock and fear. "Run upstairs and pack a bag with essentials," He instructed, authority returning to his voice. "Quickly."

They nodded and hurried past him.

Once they were upstairs and out of sight, he stepped forward, crouching beside Karla. Hannes tried not to sob as he brushed back the hair in her face. Her brown eyes stared up emptily, their usual fire completely extinguished. "Karla…" He whispered as warm tears dripped from his chin and beaded on her paling skin. "It wasn't supposed to end like this… I thought we'd have more time… God, I'm so sorry."

He sniffled and reached down to close her eyelids, letting his hand rest there as he dried his face on his shoulder. He stooped lower and pressed a hesitant kiss to her forehead, pulling back with regretful eyes. "I'll keep them safe, I promise."

Wiping his face once again, he stood shakily and forced himself to look away. He maneuvered past the scattered corpses, taking quick note of the bodies and bullet holes. Hannes opened the top cabinet by the fridge, quickly shoveling the canned goods and non-perishables into the duffle bag around his shoulder.

He slammed the cabinet shut and hurried back around to the hall, opening the closet and moving the old winter coats aside. Entering the combination to the gun safe, he emptied what he could into the duffle bag, taking both the shotgun and rifle and wrapping the gun's straps around his shoulder. Instinctively, he checked his holster and, satisfied, shut the safe, just as Eren and Mikasa came running back down the stairs.

They'd thrown on heavier jackets and shoes and had their school bags slung over their shoulders. Eren was staring ahead blankly and Mikasa's eyebrows were pulled together anxiously.

"You kids packed?" Hannes asked, forcing himself to sound as confident as possible. They nodded, and Hannes held out his hand. "...I'll need my gun back."

Mikasa frowned, but she pulled the gun from her jacket's pocket and placed it in his hand without complaint. Hannes nodded and silently led the way to the front door, flicking the safety on the revolver and putting in the duffel.

Hannes peeked out the front door, his gun at the ready, then motioned them forward. "Hurry."

They sprinted across the lawn, passing the body of the man Hannes had taken out upon entering. Hannes' police car was right at the curb, with Armin and his grandfather visible within. Armin's eyes widened as he saw Eren and Mikasa and he quickly scooted to the far seat. Mikasa and Eren piled in as Hannes tossed the bag in the trunk. He hurried around to the drivers' side and within moments, they were screeching away from the house.

"Eren! Mikasa!" Armin cried, wrapping his arms around his friends and hugging them tightly, tears threatening to spill. "I'm so glad you're safe." There was a tense moment where no one said a word. Armin looked around the vehicle and felt his breath catch as he noticed the absence of Eren's mother. He immediately fell silent, lowering his head and trying not to cry.

Mikasa turned her head, watching as figures stumbled aimlessly on the streets. There was an occasional fit of shouting or gunshots in the distance, but besides that and the thick traffic on the freeway, the world outside seemed oddly calm.

"We're not taking forty-four?" Eren asked over the constant barrage of the police scanner.

"It's practically stalled," Hannes said, glancing in the rearview mirror and turning down the scanner a bit. "We're taking back roads to the evacuation center."

_None of this feels real, _Mikasa clenched her fists. _How can it be real?_

Nobody seemed to have the energy to respond.

Eren shifted in his seat, looking out the back window of the car. They drove past the streets they'd grown up on, Mikasa's preschool, the church Armin's parents belonged to, the arcade Eren loved. Armin turned to watch with him.

_We're really leaving... _Mikasa thought. She gave her best friends a quick, sad glance, but she couldn't bring herself to look back as well.


	3. Evacuation

"Survivors aren't always the strongest; sometimes they're the smartest, but more often simply the luckiest."

― **Carrie Ryan, The Dark and Hollow Places**

**11•11**** - Day 1**

**x**

Eren gripped his phone in his hands, reading back over the texts he'd sent a few minutes ago.

Eren:

_Dad... were here with Hannes and Mr. Arlet. were evacuating the city. Me and Mikasa are ok_

_Mom didn't make it._

_I hope you get this_

_I hope youre ok_

There was still no reply. He wished his dad hadn't had to leave. _It's like every time I actually need him, he's not around, _Eren thought, feeling anger bubbling up inside of him as he glared down at his hands.

"This is ridiculous…" Hannes muttered, shaking his head at the line of cars blocking the road. "It looks like they just left the cars and went on foot."

Eren looked up and blinked rapidly, trying to clear his head. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and focused on the stalled vehicles, frowning.

"Can you go around them?" Armin asked, peering up from behind Hannes' shoulder.

"Those assholes couldn't move their damn cars first?" Eren muttered, crossing his arms and sighing. "I need to take a walk. I'm going fucking crazy, I swear."

Armin's grandfather turned and gave Eren a sharp look. "Sorry..." Eren muttered, but as soon as Armin's grandfather faced forward again Eren was rolling his eyes at Mikasa and mouthing _so dumb_.

"Yeah, I think I can get around. Then we'll find somewhere to stop at, Eren." Hannes spun the wheel and attempted to maneuver around the line of cars, the right wheels dipping low into a grassy ditch.

"I have to pee." Mikasa added, looking eagerly to the front of the police car.

Hannes swerved around a pothole. "Okay… we'll find somewhere with some restrooms."

"There should be a side street soon. Crawford. It'll take you over to DeLang." Armin's grandfather piped up, holding the map out for Hannes to see. Hannes grunted and nodded, turning right onto the dirt road.

"It's a shame even these country roads are backed up." Armin's grandfather muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.

Armin leaned back in his seat, peering out his window into the empty cars. It looked like people had taken most of their stuff with them, but there were still heavier things like tents and boxes filled with canned food left in the seats.

"Do you think looters will come through here?" Armin asked quietly. Mikasa just shrugged. Eren continued to glare at nothing in particular.

There was a scratchy exchange over the police scanner, which had Armin perking up again.

"What'd they just say?" Armin asked Hannes, shifting forward and gripping the metal grate between the front and back seats.

"An officer was attacked by one of the infected near Cypress County."

"They're that far out?" Armin's eyebrows rose and he bit his lip, glancing out the window again.

"Seems like they're popping up everywhere," Armin's grandfather added gravely, reaching to adjust his hat.

"You called them infected." Mikasa said, her eyes grazing the fields they were driving past. Eren and Armin's eyes met. They knew exactly what Mikasa was thinking about.

"That's the intel we got. It's some sort of disease, or sickness, or something. Infecting people. It's like they just lose their minds. We thought it was only a few isolated cases at first, but if it's already this widespread…" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "When we got the info about the evac centers, we knew it was getting bad in town. My partner told me to go ahead and make sure you guys were safe, and I didn't argue. That's when I started calling Karla." Hannes paused, pursing his lips and shaking his head sadly.

"I nearly crashed the damn car- uh, sorry," He said quickly, with an apologetic glance at Armin's grandfather. "I nearly crashed the car on the way over, with those people all over the streets. It was rough. Luckily, I spotted Armin here on his way out of the house with Mr. Arlert. Armin told me where you guys were and we sped over there. I just-" Hannes paused, and his face took on a pained expression. "I just wish I'd been faster."

"...So it is a disease." Mikasa murmured, barely audible.

"Does that mean we're all susceptible?" Armin asked, worry seeping into his voice.

Hannes sighed heavily. "I really don't know, kiddo. I'm in the dark about this too."

Eyes widening, Armin looked over at Eren and Mikasa. They had both had direct exposure to the infected, twice.

"Don't worry, Armin. We're fine." Mikasa said, meeting his worried gaze. Armin's eyebrows pulled together and he nodded.

A heavy silence filled the car, the only conversation coming from the police scanner. Armin chewed at his fingernails, Eren stared at his feet, and Mikasa tugged absentmindedly at the red ribbon around her wrist.

"What's that up ahead?" Armin's grandfather asked, breaking all of them out of their trance as they peered ahead.

"Looks like a diner." Hannes said, pressing on the brakes. "Yeah, it's Sadie's. Looks like there's a bunch of people there, too. Maybe we can stop for a few minutes and get some information while you kids stretch."

Mikasa and Armin nodded eagerly, Eren simply shrugging. Hannes pulled into the lot and parked beside a jeep. Leaning back in his seat, he looked at the three through the rearview mirror. "Stay together and keep your things with you. We'll be in and out, okay?"

They all nodded and Hannes swung open the car door, hauling himself out. He opened the trunk and grabbed the duffle bag of guns, hoisting it up over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go with you to the bathrooms, Mikasa," Eren slid out of the car, grabbing both of their bags. Mikasa nodded, shouldering her backpack and taking his hand to lead him towards the diner. Armin adjusted his coat and bag and stuffed his hands into his pockets, shivering slightly as he followed.

Armin's grandfather opened the diner's door and went inside, followed by the rest. There was loud shouting coming from within. Armin could tell it was arguing. He hesitated for a moment at the door, then backed up, walking around the corner of the building and sitting on the curb. He could still hear the loud voices from inside the diner, but it was much more peaceful where he was.

Setting his bag next to him, he brought his knees up to his chest, burying his face in the fabric of his jeans. He could feel his lower lip tremble as he went back through the day's events in his mind.

He was absolutely terrified.

"Holy shit! Armin? Is that you?"

Armin snapped up in surprised, quickly wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "...Jean? Marco? Oh my God!" Armin exclaimed, jumping up and running to embrace the two. It wasn't something Armin would have normally done, but he was glad to see a familiar face.

"Are you guys okay?" Armin asked as he pulled away, feeling slightly awkward. He felt his stomach flip as he noticed the dried blood stains on the front of Jean's shirt.

"Yeah, we are." Marco said, voice shaking slightly.

"You alone?" Jean asked, eyes filled with concern.

Armin quickly shook his head. "Eren, Mikasa, my grandpa, and Hannes are here too. We all got out together."

Marco's eyebrows pulled together. "What about Eren's parents? Are they here?"

"Dr. Jaeger went out of town on business on Sunday. It was an emergency. We haven't heard back from him yet. And Eren's mom… she didn't…" Armin inhaled shakily.

"It's okay, Armin. We- we got it." Jean quickly interjected, looking uncomfortable.

Armin nodded gratefully, quickly wiping his teary eyes with the palms of his hands. "What about your parents?"

Marco and Jean hesitated, their eyes briefly meeting. Marco was the one who finally spoke. "My parents are already on their way to the evacuation center and… we haven't heard from Jean's mom."

Armin just nodded, unsure of how to reply. Jean had his eyes fixed on the brick wall behind Armin's shoulder, aimless anger rolling off him. Marco took Jean's hand and squeezed it gently.

The door of the diner dinged and the three turned towards the sound of scuffling feet. Eren and Mikasa rounded the corner, toting their bags over their shoulders. "Armin! Hannes said not to go off alone. What-" Mikasa's words fell short when she saw Jean and Marco, but she didn't stop walking until she was standing beside Armin.

Jean stuffed his hands in his pockets and averted his eyes. "He's fine, Mikasa."

Eren followed close behind and Armin tensed, expecting some sort of snarky remark towards Jean, but Eren only responded with a slight nod. Jean looked just as surprised as Armin. Eren and Jean had been rivals since the beginning of seventh grade, but Eren was the one who usually egged Jean on. Armin couldn't even remember what had sparked their original conflict in the first place.

"I'm glad you guys are okay." Eren mumbled. "Where are you heading?"

"Evacuation center." Marco piped up. "We've got Jean's car, but we weren't sure if we had enough gas to make it all the way, so we stopped here."

"W-"

"That's where we're heading as well. You two should come with us." Armin offered, cutting off Eren's response. Mikasa gave Armin a quick, sharp, look, but he didn't react.

Marco nodded eagerly, Jean seeming a little more hesitant. The diner door dinged open again, and they all turned to see who it was. Two unfamiliar voices muttered to each other, followed by the tart smell of cigarette smoke. Eren moved closer to Armin and Mikasa, giving the two men a weary glance as they walked to their truck.

"This place is wigging me out," Jean muttered. "Like… everyone is so tense."

"For good reason," Armin whispered, picking his bag back up off the curb. "Hannes and my grandfather need to hurry up." He said louder.

"I'll go get them." Eren muttered, turning and heading back inside the diner. Mikasa frowned, putting a hand on Armin's shoulder as she watched him go.

Jean turned his attention back to Mikasa and Armin. "Do you guys have any idea what's... going on? With the people?"

"It's some sort of infection." Armin began hesitantly, "We- we don't know much. But the people who have it will attack others without hesitation."

"Mindlessly," Mikasa added. "Even if they've been shot a few times."

Marco's eyes widened. "They're like zombies!"

Jean gave him an irritated glance. "This isn't fucking Left 4 Dead."

The diner door swung open again with a jingle and Hannes, Armin's grandfather, and Eren all appeared from around the corner. Hannes had a jug of water tucked under his arm, and his expression was even darker than before. "Let's go. The situation here is getting dangerous." He said gruffly, his eyes flicking over to Jean and Marco. "You know them?"

Armin nodded. "They're friends from school. They're going to the evacuation center as well. Can they come with us?"

Hannes looked them over. "Where are your parents?"

Jean shrugged, looking down and scowling. Marco gave him a concerned glance before looking back at Hannes.

"My parents said they'd meet us there." Marco responded. Hannes nodded.

"You kids have a ride? We won't all fit in my patrol car." Hannes said, adjusting his sheriff hat slightly.

"Yeah, I drove," Jean gestured back at an old truck parked haphazardly in the parking lot. "But we're low on gas."

"I have a can in the trunk. We can fill you up and you two can tail us to the evac center. How's that sound?" Hannes flashed his charismatic smile as Marco nodded eagerly.

"I'll help you, Hannes." Eren spoke up, heading over to Hannes, who was pulling his keys from his pocket.

"Let's go ahead and wait in the car." Armin's grandfather said to Mikasa and Armin, gesturing the two forward with his hand. They both followed without complaint.

Hannes unlocked the car and popped the trunk open. Eren grabbed the gas can as Armin and Mikasa piled into the car. Armin shut the car door as another cool breeze blew in, making him shiver..

Armin reached for his backpack, unzipping one of the smaller pockets and pulling out a package of beef jerky, Silently, he offered a piece to Mikasa, who took it with a small smile..

"Come on, Eren." Hannes called.

"Yeah." Eren said softly, slamming the trunk shut.

**x  
**

"_...evacuation of counties 415, 416 and 423 is currently in effect. Follow hurricane evacuation routes, marked by blue highway signs. Remain calm…"_

Mikasa gazed straight ahead, her arms folded in her lap and her eyes fixed on the windshield. She watched the steady stream of droplets collect and fall, eventually being pushed aside by the windshield wipers. Through the rearview mirror, she could see the blurry headlights of Jean's truck. The emergency broadcast the radio was tuned to faded in with the quiet sound of the vehicle and the repetitive patter of the rain.

Armin and Eren were sound asleep, their heads resting against Mikasa's shoulders. Armin's grandfather seemed to be asleep as well, though she couldn't quite tell. They'd been driving for nearly two hours since leaving the diner. The evacuation route had been pushed back to McCarther county, which was at least another hours drive. The reports on Hannes' police scanner had only gotten grimmer and grimmer, so he had eventually shut it off in favor of the emergency broadcast. From what Mikasa could gather, the infection was still mostly confined to Texas, but quickly spreading.

"Have you heard anything from Dr. Jaeger?" Mikasa asked quietly, careful not to wake Armin or Eren.

"Nothing." Hannes shook his head, switching hands on the wheel in order to turn the stereo system down.

Mikasa thought back to the two days she had spent with the Jaeger family, right before Eren's dad went out of town. Dr. Jaeger had been on the phone constantly, skipping dinner and working late into the night within his study.

Eren had seemed almost oblivious to the increasing tension in his household. He'd either been busy trying to comfort Mikasa or helping his mom get Mikasa settled. Looking back on it now, Mikasa wished she hadn't been in such a daze, so she could've paid more attention to what was actually going on.

"I feel guilty." Mikasa admitted quietly, twisting the red ribbon tight around her wrist.

Hannes sighed from the front seat. "I do too, kiddo. I keep thinking… what if I'd just paid a little more attention? Or if I'd gone to get Karla before I went for you guys?" Hannes shook his head, wiping his nose a little on his sleeve. Mikasa could tell he was getting emotional. "All I can do is keep looking forward. You should do the same."

"I promised Mrs. Jaeger I would protect Eren." Mikasa spoke, turning to look at her friends. Hannes was right. She had to keep looking forward. For them. To keep them safe.

"I did the same." Hannes said, his eyes still on the road.

"When?"

"When the two of you first came to my house. Karla was worried about your wellbeing. But even if I hadn't promised her, I'd still protect you kids."

"Does that mean she knew? You guys knew something was going on?"

Hannes seemed uncomfortable with the questions, but he answered anyway. "We had… suspicions. Sort of. Karla and I were more in the dark than Grisha, because of his job."

"Being a doctor?" Mikasa felt her tone sharpen. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Hannes' voice just took on a tired tone. "I don't know exactly, Mikasa. I didn't know much about what was going on, like I told you."

"Sorry," Mikasa said, as she clenched her fists on her thighs. "I understand."

_He's telling the truth_. She turned to look out the window, eyes on the thick rainclouds. _There's no reason for me to take my anger out on him._

"Is my bag back there?" Hannes spoke suddenly, bringing Mikasa back. She blinked at him for a few moments before checking around her feet. Hannes' bag was tucked beside Eren's feet.

"Yes." Mikasa replied, hefting the bag into her lap, careful not to jostle Eren or Armin.

"Look in the left pocket." Hannes instructed, peeking back at her as she unzipped the pocket and reached inside. She pulled out a large hunting knife, tucked away in its sheath.

"I want you to have it," Hannes said simply. "You seem the most responsible and I want you to be able to defend yourself."

Mikasa looked down at the knife, feeling the weight of it in her hand."Thank you, Hannes." She didn't know what else to say. Hannes nodded and turned back to face the road.

Mikasa rezipped the pocket and set the blade on her lap, running her fingers along the thick leather surrounding the knife. She turned her head back to the swollen clouds, listening to the rain slide down the windows.

**x**

"Mikasa, we're here." A gentle hand touched her shoulder and Mikasa groggily opened her eyes, surprised that she had fallen asleep.

Mikasa sat up and stretched a little, rubbing her face and bringing her backpack up into her lap. Armin opened his door and the two of them scooted out of the police car.

The highway had been cleared, all the cars moved off to the sides of the road. She could see the sun beginning to set in the distance. There was a military blockade set up, and on the far side of it Mikasa could see canvas covered trucks, obviously military grade. All around them, there were soldiers carrying guns. It was more than a little unnerving.

There were several groups of people standing around near the blockade. Directly ahead, Mikasa could see Eren, Hannes, and Mr. Arlert, standing by Jean and Marco. Marco was talking, obviously upset. Jean was holding on to his friend's arm, his posture tense.

"Did something happen?" Mikasa asked as they walked towards their group, zipping up her jacket. She could feel the weight of Hannes' knife from where it rested inside the pocket.

Armin nodded, his weak smile quickly fading. "He got a text from his parents that the group they'd been with had been attacked. Marco's dad was... bit. It- it didn't seem like his mom knew the danger. Now his texts aren't going through." He squeezed his hands together and gave Mikasa an apprehensive look. "And the caravans are almost full. They're only accepting those under 18, elders, and pregnant people."

"Hannes." Mikasa said quietly. Armin nodded. They finally reached the group, walking up to stand next to Eren.

"No fucking way! You can't stay here, Hannes. We're not splitting up! I don't care what they say. They can't do this!" Eren's fists were clenched at his sides, and Mikasa could see angry tears were welling up in his eyes.

"What will you do, Hannes?" Mikasa asked, letting Eren take her hand and turn his face into the shoulder of her jacket. She knew he wanted to cry. Hannes had been like a second father to him - to all of them, really.

"I'm not the only one being turned away," Hannes said sadly, gesturing to a few groups of people on the outskirts. Mikasa was surprised they weren't more desperate to get in. "They're planning on moving up north, which is what the caravans are doing as well. I'll still be with you, just not in your group."

Mikasa shook her head, surprised by the lump building in her throat. "We shouldn't split up. We should go with you."

"No."Hannes said immediately, voice firm. "I'd prefer you guys having military protection. They'll do a much better job then I'd be able to."

"We can take care of ourselves! We're not afraid to fight. We've already done it twice now." Eren said, voice rising.

"Eren, be reasonable." Armin added quietly. "It's only a temporary split up and then we'll be together again once we get to Adrian."

"You have all your stuff?" Hannes asked, giving each of them a once over. They all nodded, Mikasa moving her hand down to grip the hunting knife still tucked away in her jacket pocket. Hannes gave the barricade a quick look. "You guys better hurry over, then."

Armin walked over to his grandfather in silence, and Eren released Mikasa, keeping his eyes low. "Swear you'll find us again?" Eren asked, his voice wobbly.

"I swear." Hannes replied firmly, giving Eren's shoulder a squeeze. Hannes gave them both pointed looks bent down a little, taking Mikasa's shoulder as well and looking into both of their eyes. "No matter what happens out there, you guys stay true to who you are. Sometimes people lose their heads when bad things happen… lose their humanity. Promise me you won't sink to that."

Mikasa and Eren nodded. Hannes stood and breathed deeply, nodding."Well, go on."

Eren turned to follow the rest towards the barricade, sniffling.

Hannes turned to Mikasa and removed the large duffle bag from his shoulders, handing it to her. "I left a few guns in there and most of the food and supplies. Just in case" He hesitated. "Take care of him Mikasa." Mikasa nodded, gripping the knife in her pocket. "Now go catch up." Hannes instructed, waving her away. She jogged over to catch up the rest of the group, sliding in between Eren and Armin. Hannes watched them go, hoping desperately that he'd made the right decision.


End file.
